Apparatus for use in attaching heels to shoes



Oct. 13, 1931. F. E. .BERTRAND APPARATUS FOR USE IN ATTACHINGY HEELS TO SHOES Original Filed May 18. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. E. BERTRAND APPARATUS FOR USE IN ATTACHING HEELS TO SHOES Oct. 13, 1931.

Original Filed May 18. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 W, 4 w w w M m 2 mm W l 7 A J z i w .0 w I 8 9 8 7 :W fi M o A w @H. .M m m O M W w o V z 5 1 MW K W 4 M 4 a w 4 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERIC E. BEBTRAND, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY Original application filed May 18, 1922, Serial No. 561,901, and in Great Britain May 25, 1921.

APPARATUS FOR "USE IN ATTACI-IING HEELS TO SHOES Divided and this application filed June 3, 1927. Serial No. 196,245.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in attaching heels to shoes and in analogous operations and is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 561,901, filed May 18, 1922, patented April 3, 1928, No. 1,664,567. Although not limited thereto, the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in apparatus particularly designed for use in attaching wood heels to ladies shoes.

It has been customary, heretofore, to apply an adhesive to the wood heel and the heel seat of the shoe and then to clamp the heel to the shoe by means of an iron C clamp which is left on the shoe for a sufficient period of time to allow the adhesive to set. For

quantity production this necessitates a large number of bulky clamps and interposes a long interval before other operations can be performed on the shoe. According to a superior method described and claimed in United States application Serial No. 367,173, filed March 19, 1920, on application of Maurice Bresnahan, which has matured into United States Letters Patent No. 1,615,258, dated January 25, 1927, the heel may be fastened temporarily to the shoe by a screw which passes through a perforation in a last on which the shoe is supported and enters the heel. This screw takes the place of the large clamps previously referred to and permits other operations to be performed on the shoe while the adhesive sets.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus which, without sacrifice of utility in other directions, is especially well adapted for use in carrying out the method described in the above-identified Bresnahan patent. In one aspect the improvedapparatus comprises means for holding a heel assembled against the heel seatof a shoe mounted on a last perforated to receive a heel attaching screw in combination with suitable means such as a drill operating through the perforation in the lastto prepare the heel,-and with means such as a fastener-inserting device for inserting a tern-- porary clamp member in the manner described in the above-mentioned Letters Pat-' ent No. 1,615,258. In theillustrate'd embodiment of my invention the fastener-insertingmeans is shown as comprising a power-driven screw driver of novel construction, driven through a clutch which can slip when the head of'a screw seats against the top of a last. Preferably the clutch is arranged with oo-operating toothed members which I are yieldingly pressed together to provide an intermittent pounding action on the screw driver to tighten the screw to provide for attaching the heel with great rigidity. It may be found satisfactory, however, insoine cases,

to prepare the heel or to insert the fastener by hand, and accordingly my invention is not to be regarded as'necessarily limited to an organization which includes both the preparing means and the fastener-inserting means.

The invention further consists in features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Fig. 1 is a perspective, partly broken away, of the upper portion of the apparatus, showing a last, shoe and heel clamped therein;

Fig. 2 is a section through the lower part of the apparatus showing a side elevation of thelast, shoe and heel clamping means;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation corresponding to Fig. 2 and showing the last, shoe and heel clamping means; i

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2 showing the connection between the treadle rod and clamp carrying links; 1 v

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of some of the operating parts showing the driving of a screw fastener, with the driving device shown partly in section; V I

Fig. 6 is a view showing the seating of the driving device on its support and Fig. 7 is a View, partly in section, of part of an improved last adapted for use in temporarily attaching heels as described.

According to the above-described novel method of temporarily attaching heels, especially wood Louis heels, to shoes, the shoes are last of thetype above referred to and a'heel fastener, is disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,527,168, granted Feb. 24, 1925, upon application of Maurice V. Bresnahan. As herein shown, a last of this type is formed with a thimble hole 5, and with a perforation or hole 6 passing entirel through the last in a direction parallel to the axis of a heel on a shoe on the last. The hole 6 registers with a hole 8 approximately in the center of a metal heel plate 7 used for clinching the lasting tacks and heel-seat nails. A tack-hole 9 is preferably also provided in the heel plate for the reception of a tack temporarily holding the sole. As will be explained, a suitable fastening (shown at 94 in Fig. is passed through holes 6 and 8 and through the shoe bottom into the heel, to clamp the last and the shoe and heel together, to permit the shoe to be finished while the heel-attaching adhesive is drying.

If desired, the last may be counterbored as shown at 11 in Fig. 7, to provide a surface at right angles to the axis of hole 6, against which surface the head portion of a fastener may seat firmly.

The heel is supported by engagement with a tread plate 14, pivotally mounted on a hollow supporting post 16 adjustably mounted in a table to which it is secured by a set screw 18, and a member 20 shaped to correspond to the contour of its rear surface. The tread plate 14 and the member 20 may both be faced with leather, felt or other suitable padding, and the member 20 is arranged for vertical adjustment to receive heels of different shapes and heights, and is secured to the post 16 in adjusted position by means of a set screw 22. The toe portion of the shoe is supported by a plate 24 connected by links 26 toa post 28 which is adjustably held in the table 10 by means of a set screw 30. The bolts clamping the links 26 to the post 28 and the plate 24 are arranged to bind with sufficient tightness to prevent acci dental displacement of the plate 24 while at the same time permitting its adjustment.

- The plate 24 is arranged with a recess in Which is received a slide 32 which is clamped in adjusted position by means of set screw 34, and which carries a pin 36 engaging one side of the toe portion of a shoe to prevent the shoe from turning. In the illustrated machine, member 20, while adjustable as to height, has an invariable inclination. Accordingly the shoe is adjusted by tilting plates 14 and 24 to bring the back of the heel firmly against member 20.

A last, shoe and heel supported by engagement with plates 24 and 14 and member 20 are clamped rigidly thereagainst by a clamping member 40 frictionally mounted, for sliding adjustment laterally of the last and for automatic tilting to engage the lastfirmly, on a rod 42 which is carried by a pair of sleeves 44. The sleeves 44 are carriedby links 46 on which they may be slidingly adjusted according to the vertical height of the last and heel. These Leary/2e sleeves are clamped in adjusted position by tightening suitable clamp screws 48.

Between their ends the links 46 are pivotally secured at 50 to a pair of arms 52 pivotally mounted on an adjustable arm 54 slidingly clamped in the head of the post 28. At their lower ends links 46 are secured to arms 56 formed on a U-shaped member 58 (Fig. 4). The member 58 is formed with bearings for a spindle 60 secured in a projection 62 formed P on the lower end of post 16. It will be observed that arms 56 are substantially longer than arms 52. By this arrangement, whenever clamp member 40 is moved upwardly, links 46 are pushed upward by arms 56, and are also rocked about the connections 50 with arms 52, to carry the clamp member 40 forwardly over the toe end of the shoe entirely out of the way of the operator. By a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that arms 52 are bowed upwardly and away from links 46 to permit a greater forward motion of links 46 than would otherwise be possible without bringing the links into engagement with these arms. The upward and forward, or idle, position of clamp member 40 is adjustably determined by a threaded stop 64 which engages an abutment 66 formed on the projection 62 from post 16. The position of clamp member 40 longitudinally of the apparatus is determined by the adjustment of arm 54 in the head of post 28.

Arms 56 are rocked in order to operate the above-described clampin means by means of improved yielding adj ustable connections from a suitable treadle 70. The treadle 70 is connected to a two-part treadle rod 7 2 which can be adjusted for length by loosening a clamp member 74 and on which is adj ustably secured a finger 76 connected by means of a coil spring 78 into the projection 62. The coil spring serves to hold the treadle and the movable parts of the clamp in their upper or idle position and needL only be of suii'icient strength for this purpose. The upper portion of treadle rod 7 2 is formed into a head. or eye 80 within the hollow portion of post 16, which engages a flange 82 on a sleeve 84 slidingly mounted on treadle rod 2 between eye 80 and an adjustable stop 83. Sleeve 84 is arranged to operate arms 56 through the medium of a yoke 86 secured to saio arms. If desired, it may be keyed to yoke 86 as shown in Fig. 3 to prevent turning. Downward movement which is imparted to sleeve 84, by treadle 7 O acting through treadle rod 72, is imparted to the yoke 86 through a stiff coil spring 88 confined between the yoke and head 82 of the sleeve. Upward movement sleeve 84 is transmitted to yoke 86 through a stop 90 adjustably mounted on the threaded lower end of the sleeve. One purpose of the stop 90 is to permit adjustment of the compression of spring 88. .The upper position of clamp 40 may be varied independently of the upper I position of treadle 70, if desired, by adjusting stop 83 to allow a greater or less degree of lost motion of sleeve 84 on rod 7 2.

While it is usually preferred to hold the clamp by standing on treadle 70, yet, if desired, a shoe may be held under clamping pressure by means of a pawl 7 7 (Fig. 2) engaging a ratchet 7 5 carried by the treadle. The pawl may be mounted at 85 on an extension 7 9 from the frame, and is held against ratchet 7 by a spring 93. It may be released by depressing an auxiliary treadle 91.

It is one purpose of the above-described connections to provide for a heavy predetermined yielding pressure on each last, and in order that this pressure may be readily adjusted to a fixed standard the treadle is provided with a headed device 92 sliding freely in a perforation formed in the treadle and arranged to have a definite amount, for example one-half inch, of lost motion when the treadle is operated. WVhen it is desired to adjust the clamping means for a given last, shoe and heel, the operator places his foot on the head of the device 92 instead of directly on the treadle, loosens clamp screws 48, depresses the treadle until the device 92 engages the floor, and then tightens clamp screws 48. When the treadle is depressed in this manner it is held at a definite distance from the floor, ordinarily about one-half inch as suggested above, this distance being determined by the amount 'of lost motion of device 92. Thereafter in clamping similar lasts, shoes and heels, each time the abovedescribed connections are operated, the clamp member 40 will engage the last when the treadle 7 O is a definite distance (e. g. onehalf inch) from the floor, and further depression of the treadle operates to compress spring 88.- This spring is quite stiff and is held under considerablecompressionso that each last, shoe and heel is held clamped under a heavy yielding pressure of a uniform amount equal to the pressure obtained by compressing spring 88 a definite amount determined by this last increment of the depression of treadle 7 O.

' It will be noted that the above-described clamping means provides not only a conveniently operated means firmly holding a last, shoe and heel clamped under heavy yielding pressure but that it provides for the utmost simplicity of adjustment. When a new operator first commences work on an apparatus of this type, he will first adjust posts 28 and 16 to hold the work at a convenient height which is especially suited for him, and will then adjust the position of stop '64 and finger 76 to determine the upper position of the clamp and the treadle. Thereafter the only adjustments whichneed ordinarily'be made are occasional changes in the height of member 20, and changes in the position of member 40 with respect to links 46 which are made by use of the device 92 as above described. An especially important'result of this arrangement is that it permits both of these adjustments to be made by an operator who is standing in his usual position, and without even forcing himto stoop. Another important result is that an arrangement of this sort provides for independence of the various adjustments so that, for example, a change in the height of member 20 does not necessitate a change in any other adjustment in the apparatus.

- When a last, shoe and heel have been clamped as above described, the operator proceeds to clamp the heel'to the shoe and last by means of a threaded fastener 94, first preparing the heel by the use of a drill 96 and then inserting the fastener by means of a driving device indicated generally at 98. Both of these instrumentalities are driven by an electric motor 100 carried by the standard 12. A toothed gear on the end of the armature shaft of this motor is geared in acneto-one ratio to a gear which drives a flexible shaft 102 operating drill 96. This shaft is of suchstiffness, and a support 104 which carriesit is so adjusted, that when the shaft is hanging free the drill 96 is directly above a perforation in the rear end of the last so 8 that the drill may conveniently be passedv through this perforation to operate on the heel. VVhe-n not in use the drill 96 is held in an idle position out of the operators way by means of a l1ook'106 which is adjustably mounted on the standard 12. suitable shield or guard (not shown) may be provided for the drill when it is in this position, since the drill and the driving device 98 are both mounted to rotate constantly while the apparatus is in use.-

The gear on the end of the armature shaft of motor 100- meshes in a one-to-two ratio with a gear which drives a shaft in an arm 108. This shaft drives through co-operating bevel gears in a head 110, a shaft 112 7 If desired a V to shaft 118, on which is threaded a member 120. The drivingtool itself is indicated at 122, and is threaded into an outer sleeve, 124 which is secured to member 120 by a tap screw 126. The outer sleeve 124- is formed with teeth and recesses in its upper surface, as shown in Figs. 1 and- 5, forming one member of a clutch, the other clutch member being indicated at, 128 and being in the form of a second sleeve which is. slidable on. memher 120,- but which is keyed thereto to pre= vent relative rotation. The two, parts of the clutch are forced together by a coil spring 130, the, tension, of which may be regulated by lock nuts 132.

By this arrangement rotation of shaft 112 is transmitted to the driving tool 122- through the clutch composed of members 124 and 128, which may slip relatively to one another ha i fastening device 95L has been drii a: home. The tool 12:2 is formed with a suitable recess to receive the eye or head of the fastener 9e and can rotate freely about memher 120 except as turned through the abovedescribed clutch. After the clutch begins to slip, the driving device 98 may be held against the head of fastener 9d, and continued rotation of clutch member 128 results in a pounding action of the co-operating teeth and recesses of the two parts of the clutch Which results in drivingthe fastener 9st very firmly into the heel, Without any possibility of injury to the driving tool.

The above-described arrangement of the parts, of the fastener driving tool 98 results in an improved action as compared with previous devices of this character of Which applicant is aware, in that the yieldingly engaged clutch members are arranged to slip readily to prevent any possible damage at the time the fastener 94 is driven home, While they remain in intermittent engagement with one another to produce the above-described pounding action for tightening the fastener. This is especi lly important in attaching WOOCl heels accor ling to the inethoo used with the apparatus above described as thefastener 94 is relied upon to hold the heel rigidly against the last and shoe during a number of subsequent operations which tend to dis place it.

As shown in Fig. 1 both the drill 96 and the driving tool 98, When in use, hang vertically above the fastener receiving perforation in a last which is held clamped in the apparatus. To hold the fastener driving tool 98 out of the Way When not in use, an adjustable post 134 is provided Which is formed with a substantially spherical head 136 Which can freely rotate on an anti-friction ball bearing 138 (Fig. 6).

In operation, the necessary adjustments having first been made, the operator clamps a last and shoe against the heel. there being a film of adhesive between the heel and the heel seat of the shoe, by manipulation of treadle 70. While standing on the treadle to hold the last, shoe and heel clamped, in this manner (or While they are held by the pawl and ratchet), he passes the drill 96 through the perforation 6 in the heel end, of the last to prepare the heel for the insertion of a fastener. During this drilling operation, the drill, is guided by a smooth cylindrical portion 137 Which is substantially a sliding fit in the perforation in the last, and the depth of the hole drilled in the heel is determined by engagement of an abutment or collar 139 With the top of the last. The operator then Withdraws the drill and svvings it to its idle position Where it is retained by thehoolr 106, inserts a fastener 94: through the perforation in the last and drives it home by the use of fastener driving device 98. 'l he shoe is then removed" from the clamping means, and is immediately ready for the performance of any desired finishing operations, since the heel is held rigidly against displacement by its fastener and there is no necessityof Waiting for the drying of the adhesive. Moreover such finishing operations are greatly facilitated by the fact that the heel is held by means entirely Within the shoe so that the outer surface of the shoe is entirely unobstructed.

'llaving described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of tee United tates is:

1. In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last, a shoe, and a heel assembled together right side up, and fastener-inserting means to drive a fastener through the perforation in the last and through the shoe bottom into the heel.

2. In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last, a shoe, and a heel. assembled together right side up, and fastener-inserting means to drive a headed fastener through the perforation in the last and through the shoe bottom into the heel until the head of the fastener engages the top of the last to clamp the last and shoe and heel together.

3., In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last, a shoe, and a heel assembled together right side up, and hand-controlled fastener-insertmea-ns to drive a fatener through the perforation in the last and through the shoe bottom into the heel.

l. In a heel attaching machine, in combina tion, means tov hold a perforated last, a shoe, a heel assembled together right side up, a motor, a hand-controlled flexible driveshaft therefrom, and means operated by the shaft to drive a fastener through the perforation in the last and through the shoe bottom into the heel.

5. In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last, a shoe, and a heel assembled together right side up, a motor, a hand-controlled flexible driveshaft. therefrom, and means operated by the shaft to drive a headed fastener through the perforation in the last and through the shoe bottom intothe heel until the head of the fastener engages. thetop of the lastto clamp the last and shoe and heel together.

6. For use in driving a headed screw fastener through a perforation in a last and through the bottom of a shoe on the last into a heel, while the last and shoe and heel are held as described, a screw-driving device comprising a manually-controlled power-deliver ing connection, a screw-driving member, and a clutch therebetween comprising a toothed portion secured to said member, and a cooperating toothed portion yieldingly held against the first portion and keyed tothe connection. .s

7. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a holder for a last and shoe and heel, a power-operated screw driver having a socket to fit over the head of a screw, a flexible shaft therefor arranged when free to hang in alinement with a perforation in the rear end of the last, and means at one side of the holder including a freely-rotatable head to receive the socket to hold the screw driver out of the way while allowing it to rotate constantly.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a holder for a last and shoe and .heel, a power-operated screw driver and a flexible shaft therefor arranged when .free to hang in alinement with a perforation in the rear end of the last, and means at one side of the holder to hold the screw driver out of the way while allowing it to rotate constantly. V 9. In a machineof the class described, in

combination, a holder for a last and shoe and heel, a power-operated tool and a flexible shaft therefor arranged when free to hang in alinement with a perforation in the rear end of the last, and means at one side of the holder to hold the tool out of the waywhile allowing it to rotate constantly.

10. In a heel attaching machine, in combialinement with the perforation in the last,

said device comprising a screw-engaging member and a clutch therefor having two cooperating toothed parts, one secured to sald member, and the other driven by power and yielding'ly urged toward the first part;

13. An apparatus for use with a flexibly supported continuously power driven drill and a flexibly supported continuously power driven screw driver both of which are normally positioned over and in line with the work 'to be operated upon, comprising a clamp for the work to be operatedupon, and devices at differentsides of the clampfor I holding the drill and screw driver away from normal range of operation of both the drill and the screw driver.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. V

' FREDERIC E. BERTRAND.

nation, means to hold a perforated last, a shoe, I

and a heel assembled together, and a powerdriven screw-inserting device arranged to 'ex-' 45 tend when in use substantially in alinement with the perforation in the last, said device comprising a screw-engaging memberand a clutch connection to deliver power thereto,

the connection being constructed and'an ranged to slipwhen ascrew is driven home;

11. In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last. a shoe, and a heel assembled together; and a power-driven, ranged to extend when in use substantially in alinement with the perforation in the last,

screw-inserting device ar said device comprising a screw-engaging I member and means to operate said member to drive a screw home and thereafter intermittently to impart turning impulses theretoto tighten the screw. Y

12. In a heel attaching machine, in combination, means to hold a perforated last,'a shoe, and a heel, assembled together, and a power-driven, screw-inserting device arranged to extend when 1n use substantially in 

